Combining interactive GIS tools and expert knowledge in validation of tree species models

Poster presented at XIII Congreso Forestal Mundial. FAO, Buenos Aires (Argentina). 18-25 Oct 200

Personal Jurisdiction on the Move

In Ford Motor Co. v. Montana Eighth Judicial District Court, the U.S. Supreme Court clarified the standards for establishing specific personal jurisdiction over a nonresident defendant in federal court. The Court rejected previous interpretations of specific jurisdiction that required a causal connection between the defendant’s forum contacts and the plaintiff’s alleged facts. This reorientation has had a ripple effect on specific personal jurisdiction inquiries in federal and state courts across the nation, including courts in the Fifth Circuit and Texas. This Article passes through the basics of general jurisdiction en route to a more leisurely exploration of the clarified specific jurisdiction standards and the ways in which it already has been applied in various federal and state courts. In addition, this Article swings by the Texas Supreme Court’s latest opinion on jurisdictional discovery. Buckle up for this scenic tour of personal jurisdiction, on the move

Density waves and star formation in grand design spirals

HII regions in the arms of spiral galaxies are indicators of recent star-forming processes. They may have been caused by the passage of the density wave or simply created by other means near the arms. The study of these regions may give us clues to clarifying the controversy over the existence of a triggering scenario, as proposed in the density wave theory. Using H$\alpha$ direct imaging, we characterize the HII regions from a sample of three grand design galaxies: NGC5457, NGC628 and NGC6946. Broad band images in R and I were used to determine the position of the arms. The HII regions found to be associated with arms were selected for the study. The age and the star formation rate of these HII regions was obtained using measures on the H$\alpha$ line. The distance between the current position of the selected HII regions and the position they would have if they had been created in the centre of the arm is calculated. A parameter, T, which measures whether a region was created in the arm or in the disc, is defined. With the help of the T parameter we determine that the majority of regions were formed some time after the passage of the density wave, with the regions located `behind the arm' (in the direction of the rotation of the galaxy) the zone they should have occupied had they been formed in the centre of the arm. The presence of the large number of regions created after the passage of the arm may be explained by the effect of the density wave, which helps to create the star-forming regions after its passage. There is clear evidence of triggering for NGC5457 and a co-rotation radius is proposed. A more modest triggering seems to exist for NGC628 and non significant evidence of triggering are found for NGC6946.Comment: 10 pages, 20 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Human myiasis in Ecuador.

We review epidemiological and clinical data on human myiasis from Ecuador, based on data from the Ministry of Public Health (MPH) and a review of the available literature for clinical cases. The larvae of four flies, Dermatobia hominis, Cochliomyia hominivorax, Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis, and Lucilia eximia, were identified as the causative agents in 39 reported clinical cases. The obligate D. hominis, causing furuncular lesions, caused 17 (43.5%) cases distributed along the tropical Pacific coast and the Amazon regions. The facultative C. hominivorax was identified in 15 (38%) clinical cases, infesting wound and cavitary lesions including orbital, nasal, aural and vaginal, and occurred in both subtropical and Andean regions. C. hominivorax was also identified in a nosocomial hospital-acquired wound. Single infestations were reported for S. haemorrhoidalis and L. eximia. Of the 39 clinical cases, 8 (21%) occurred in tourists. Ivermectin, when it became available, was used to treat furuncular, wound, and cavitary lesions successfully. MPH data for 2013–2015 registered 2,187 cases of which 54% were reported in men; 46% occurred in the tropical Pacific coast, 30% in the temperate Andes, 24% in the tropical Amazon, and 0.2% in the Galapagos Islands. The highest annual incidence was reported in the Amazon (23 cases/100,000 population), followed by Coast (5.1/100,000) and Andes (4.7/100,000). Human myiasis is a neglected and understudied ectoparasitic infestation, being endemic in both temperate and tropical regions of Ecuador. Improved education and awareness among populations living in, visitors to, and health personnel working in high-risk regions, is required for improved epidemiological surveillance, prevention, and correct diagnosis and treatment

Features associated to woody hosts in the bacterial pathogen of olive plants Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi

The causal agent of olive knot disease, Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi, belongs to the Pseudomonas syringae complex, a bacterial group causing diseases in a broad variety of both woody and herbaceous plant species. Here we summarize our results regarding a set of P. savastanoi pv. savastanoi features exclusively found in the genomes of bacteria from the P. syringae complex isolated from woody hosts. Comparative genomics and evolutionary studies allowed us to identify a 15 kb genomic island (WHOP, from woody host and Pseudomonas), carrying a set of genes involved in degradation of phenolic compounds and exclusively found in bacterial pathogens of woody hosts. Deletion of several WHOP-encoded genes in Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi NCPPB 3335 revealed that they play a role in the virulence of the strain in woody olive plants but not in in vitro-grown (nonwoody) plants. In addition, several type III secretion system effectors belonging to the HopAF, HopAO and HopBL families were shown to be clustered across the P. syringae complex according to the woody/herbaceous nature of their host of isolation. Further functional analyses of these virulence factors are needed to facilitate the design of novel strategies directed to control bacterial pathogens of woody hosts.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Comparative Analysis of the Type III Secretion System Effector Repertoires of Pseudomonas savastanoi Pathovars Pathogenic on Woody Hosts

Comunicación de tipo pósterThe species Pseudomonas savastanoi, a member of the Pseudomonas syringae complex, includes four pathovars causing knots or excrescences in woody hosts: P. savastanoi pv. savastanoi (Psv), pv. fraxini (Psf), pv. nerii (Psn) and pv. retacarpa (Psr), comprising isolates from olive, ash, oleander and broom plants, respectively. Pathogenicity of P. savastanoi is dependent, among other factors, on the type III secretion system (T3SS) and its effector (T3E) repertoire. Furthermore, a putative role in the interaction with woody hosts has been suggested for several of these T3E. The recent availability of the genome sequences of several P. savastanoi strains isolated from different hosts has facilitated bioinformatics predictions of their T3SS genes and T3E pools, the study of their distribution in other strains of the P. syringae complex isolated from woody hosts and the functional analysis of several of these secreted proteins. As previously reported for Psv, Psn and Psf, here we show that pathogenicity of Psr ICMP16945, is also dependent on the T3SS. Psv strains NCPPB 3335, ICMP4352 and PseNe107 share a core set of at least 22 T3E, 18 of which are also encoded in Psn ICMP16943, Psf ICMP7711 and Psr ICMP16945. However, these three strains encode truncated versions of 1-2 of these 18 T3E and, Psr ICMP16945 contains three pathovarspecific T3E. Our results also show that several T3E, including HopAO1, are phylogenetically clustered across the P. syringae complex according to the woody/herbaceous nature of their host of isolation, suggesting host specialization of these effectors in this complex.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec